Poem: "The Lady of Fantasy"
This poem came out of the November 6, 2012 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by my_partner_doug. It was sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette.
The Lady of Fantasy
Marion Zimmer Bradley
became one of the great names
in her entire genre,
swung stars from her fingertips,
saved planets and wrecked worlds,
painted with all the colors of space,
and forged a Sisterhood
that could never be forgotten.
Where she lived,
she pulled creative women
to her like a great attractor
spinning the diamond dust of a galaxy,
each sun with its own sweep of planets
bejewelling the black skirt of space.
Whoever came within her reach
was encouraged and exalted
to become all they could be.
It was said,
if you could sell to her
a story about dragons --
because she hated dragons --
then that was the mark of greatness.
She changed the world
in which writers write --
"Grant your strong woman
and go on from there!" --
but whenever anyone
tried to praise her
for her groundbreaking accomplishments,
she pointed quietly over her shoulder at C.L. Moore
and said,
"I am not the fountainhead."